Graduate School and Beyond

I began graduate school in June 1996 working on a Master's in Mental Health Counseling.  I was working two jobs and thought I had the world on my side.  I was working in the Financial Aid office and I was working at Ga. Center for Youth.  At this point I was still dating "Wishbone" who was one of the campus most popular guys and might I add desceetly whorish.  In December I was getting ready to go to Atl to visit "Wishbone" for his birthday only to find out that he'd been sleeping with one of my co-worker's sister/ cousin or something like that.  Either way it went, he was cheating and he was cheating with a nasty girl.  I ended the relationship by telephone call.  I decided to move forward without "Wishbone."  I went home for the weekend and being nosey is how I ended up with my next "project."  My girls and I had gone out for the evening and rapping up our night when I spotted a white escort with an FVSU tag on the car. Me with my nosey ass decided to see who was in the car.  I thought no one was in the car but I saw a speckle og gold (teeth) and to my surprise, there was a very dark skinned young man in the car.  I introduced myself, exchanged numbers and stated that maybe we could catch a movie sometime in the "Valley."  Well we caught more than a movie........  I got that illness called pregnancy a few months later.  Disappointed in myself because I had gotten caght up.  I was not ready for a child, I had two jobs, was in school, and making plans for other things.  What to do?  Well, I ended up with a beautiful daughter (9/14/97) as a result.  I tried to make the relationship work but.........

After my relationship with my daughter's father, I decided that I needed to figure out what I wanted and needed for me.  Oh yeah, I ended up moving back to Boston, GA when my daughter was six months old.  Yes I was still in graduate school and had completed most of my course work give or take one or two course and my internship.  My daughter's father was supposed to be moving to Florida and I didn't want strangers caring for my child while I was working so that's why I moved back home.  I can say that determination is a powerful thing.  Determination is what kept me going to a 40 hour a week internship, driving to class (2 1/2 hours), sitting in class (5 hours), and driving back home (2 1/2 hours) and trying to spend time with my young child.  My mom took on most of that responsibility during this time frame (Apr.- Dec).  I graduated with a Master's in Mental Health Counseling in July 1999 even though I finished in December 2008.  I secured my first "real" job in August of 1999 as a Social Services Director for an Intermediate Care Facility in Valdosta, Georgia